The Compassion To The Saints

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abide, body, branch, bride, comfort, comforter, Father, holy spirit, LAMB, supper, truth

Rev 21:4  and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.

 

First off to my readers, apologies for leaving this very important part out of the original posts.

Now this for us in light of the current events around the world and as of the time this blog is being produced in November 2014, in the USA there is a health insurance debacle that will in all likelihood cost most Americans their employment and jobs may become impossible to get as business place hiring freezes into effect.  There may even be worse backlash than this over new policies and speeches our President has effected.  On the global scene in the Mediterranean we have an Islamic Fundamentalist movement called ISIS or ISIL or it may even have new name by the time you read this.  This group will ask you to either become Muslim or die.  They are not nice about it and they torture as they kill.  They are spreading and may even be in the USA as I type. They are butchering Christians right and left.  In other places that are still Communist Christians suffer in abject impoverishment and disease and torture and imprisonment because they will not turn to deny this King of Kings.  We who suffer at any level for the sake of the Gospel …. suffer.  We await the coming King to release us from this prison of ungodliness.  And He will come.

So then in light of all I have written above and, believe me, that is just a little bit of all the manifold things that are being foisted upon His people at this hour, I add this new post to remind us all that He is our joy and comfort both to come and even here and now.

In His compassion upon His own for whom He died, Christ sends and gives comfort.

The Comfort to come

Rev 21:4  and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.
Isaiah 25: 6-9

6 The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for ball peoples on this mountain;
A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow,
And 4refined, aged wine.
7  And on this mountain He will swallow up the 1acovering which is over all peoples,
Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.
8  He will aswallow up death for all time,
And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces,
And He will remove the creproach of His people from all the earth;
For the LORD has spoken.
9  And it will be said in that day,“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited;
Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

This portion of verse 8 in Isaiah is the connection to Revelation 21:4.  Moreover there is the banquette.

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is the celebration of the consummated union of the Head (Jesus) with the Body, (the Believers); the Bridegroom, (Jesus) with the Bride (the Believers); the Vine (Jesus) with the Righteous Branch…  Now here is where things get a little tricky for the Righteous Branch of Isaiah IS Jesus, He starts as the shoot out the Jesse and in His fulfilled Sacrifice and the culmination of the One Righteous Act or the Perpetually Perfectly Personally Obedient life lived under the Law unto the Father as completely pleasing in all things to the Father, Jesus becomes the fully grown VINE. (At least this is my understanding of it)  In John 15 He tells us that He is the VINE and we are the BRANCHES.  But the apostolic writings tell us that we are One Body.  Therefore we the branches are actually considered as the ONE RIGHTEOUS BRANCH, just as is Jesus, which is fitting for His RIGHTEOUSNESS is OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you are saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God;
Eph 2:9 not of works, that not anyone should boast;

So then the banquette is part of the comfort and the reward to the Bride who made herself ready. And how did she do this?

Php 2:12 So, then, my beloved, even as you always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, cultivate your salvation with fear and trembling,
Php 2:13 for it is God who is working in you both to will and to work for the sake of His good pleasure.

This then is the Marriage Supper as it is referred to in Revelation.

Rev 19:7 Let us rejoice and let us exult, and we will give glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb came, and His wife prepared herself. 
Rev 19:8 And it was given to her that she be clothed in fine linen, pure and bright; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. 
Rev 19:9 And he says to me, Write: Blessed are the ones having been called to the supper of the marriage of the Lamb. And he says to me, These Words of God are true. 

This again is the Supper as referred to in Isaiah

Isaiah 25: 6-9

6 The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for ball peoples on this mountain;
A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow,
And 4refined, aged wine.
7  And on this mountain He will swallow up the 1acovering which is over all peoples,
Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.
8  He will aswallow up death for all time,
And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces,
And He will remove the creproach of His people from all the earth;
For the LORD has spoken.
9  And it will be said in that day,“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited;
Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

Notice where those tears are wiped away.  For she comes in her pain and her sorrows and the deep shame that she never quite measured up but also in the intense gratitude for that He even ever deigned to show the kindness of Redemption at all.  For she (The Bride) has been humbled.  So them for all of you who suffer now for His name sake, take comfort in this, that you are among the BLESSED who have the invitation to attend the banquette of all the ages as and honored guest of the King of Glory.

His Comfort NOW

Joh 14:16 And I will petition the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may remain with you to the age,
Joh 14:17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He abides with you and shall be in you.

Joh 14:25 I have spoken these things to you, abiding with you;
Joh 14:26 but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and shall remind you of all things that I said to you.
Joh 14:27 I leave peace to you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be timid.

While we are “going through” all these trials which work patience perfect work in us that we become complete lacking nothing in ourselves with all these “light afflictions” (this is what God calls them) we have God, even Christ in us the hope of glory who is also He who gives us joy and comfort so that we might “count it all joy” when we “go through” what life seems to offer.  There is also a great assurance in the knowledge that He is with us every day and thorough every thing we encounter and He sees and knows what is done to us and seeks to see and hear the right response of thanksgiving and praise in all we go through in our lives.

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The City

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asher, benjamin, book, Christ, city, dan, foundation, gad, joseph, LAMB, levi, life, naphatli, pearl, reuben, simeon, son, zebulun

Rev 21:8  But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.

Rev 21:9  And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden with the seven last plagues; and he spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb.

Now when we think of a wife a bride what do we really think of?  Do we think of a lovely visage in a sparkling white veiled and trained gown?  What else is there about the wife the bride?  She is a help meet a companion someone who completes the man who stands with him, carries his name and posterity in the womb, and allows the name to pass to the next generation.  She belongs with him and makes him look good.  Some consider a good couple to be like peas in a pod, like the salt and pepper shakers and a matched set.   In this wise the city and the one who it is built for go together. Likewise the church is seen as the Bride of Christ.  Yet Revelation is clear when the angel says I will show you the bride the wife of the Lamb.  As He inhabits the city so then is that the MARRIAGE of the The LAMB.  Yet the city and the church seem to be part and parcel of one another.  Us He redeems from among the heathen nations, the great city four square, was built for Him.  It is its own TEMPLE.

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

Rev 21:11  having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal:

Rev 21:12  having a wall great and high; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

Rev 21:13  on the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

Rev 21:14  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Ok there is a series of images right here.  There are twelve gates and each gate was named to a tribe of Israel.  Each gate is a pearl. It has walls and being as massive as the measurement state it will need serious foundations. In fact there are twelve of them.  We have heard of the tribes and the foundational teachings of the Apostles and the Prophets.  Each foundation is a stone or a color.  Each foundational color has its own meaning to God.  It would be an interesting study to see if Scripture has any light to shed on that meaning. This city has an effulgence of light clear as a crystal looking like a “most precious” jasper stone.  Some say this particular stone may be a diamond.  We know this stone’s name was mentioned in the beginning and in chapter five.  It was mentioned in connection with He who sits on the Throne.  If it is a diamond that will explain the refractive colors of the diamond’s prismatic effect when light is around or through it.  This may explain the color around the Throne.

The gates being pearls is sort of like the string of pearls that one might wear.  Israel is said to be a POSSESSION of God.  In the Song of Solomon, the chorus talks about adorning the “bride” and here the angel calls the City, Jesus bride.   So then it is not surprising that Earthly adornments are either represented or actually used in their heavenly counterparts. We do know that in Exodus when Moses was on the mountain receiving the pattern for the Tabernacle it was to be built of specific Earthly material according to the HEAVENLY PATTERN.

Rev 21:15  And he that spake with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

Rev 21:16  And the city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal.

According to conversion tables there are eight furlongs to the mile. So then the math gives me 1500 miles square.  That is a huge footprint for a city.  The wall measurement is apparently it’s height, which in conversion from roman cubit to foot, is 64 ft 1 9/64 inches.  This is a massive thing, so twelve foundations is not unreasonable.

Rev 21:17  And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

Rev 21:18  And the building of the wall thereof was jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto pure glass.

Rev 21:19  The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;

Rev 21:20  the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.

If the jasper is considered to be diamond, then we are looking at the One who sits on the Throne.  The second layer down is sapphire which is usually blue which represents the Throne itself, as it is said in scripture to be, Lapis Lazul or blue.  This then speaks of the Suzerain authority of Him who sits on the Throne. Chalcedony is a quartz it can be reddish, white or bluish. Both the reddish and bluish speak to the blood and the throne and the white refers to purity.  This stone may well represent the nature of God.  Quartz is a transmissible stone, it can be used for radio signals.  When I was a little girl my father got me a quartz crystal radio with coils and the quartz and you had a tuner knob and I made it and found actual stations.  This then may also be indicative of the transmissible qualities of God, those that are not immutable.  Then there is the Emerald.  Again this stone which is usually associated with green but can also be red blue pink or yellow. However the classical gem is some shade or hue of green which represents growth and living things, like plants; or Zoe Life.  For He came to give us LIFE and that more abundantly.  The next layer down is sardonyx which is oddly enough sort of a compound representation.  The onyx of sardonyx is black, which represents sin.  Then there is the sard aspect of sardonyx which is a reddish color which of course is the BLOOD. This stone is banded with the black and red and perhaps white as well which represents purity.  Taken together this stone is its own gospel in a rock.  Sin atoned for in His blood leaves us pure. The next layer down is Sardius which is a blood red stone.  It is interesting that the compound sardonyx is sandwiched between the Emerald of Everlasting Life and the Sardius of the Blood of Jesus.  The next down is chrysolite which is a stone type which include Topaz, which this is not.  It runs from a green to a yellow color.  It is usually greenish yellow.  Yellow or gold is the immutable substance impervious to time and most chemicals and speaks of the immutable nature of He who sits on the Throne. But in this gem quality stone the blended yellow green show us the Glory of God who is Life Eternal.  The next layer down is the Beryl, classically in ancient times it was considered in the name given it for the pale blue green color not unlike seawater.  Now that is interesting because sea water is naturally salted water.  It reminds us of the Scripture and the Law and the WORD.  We are renewed in our minds as we are washed with WATER and THE WORD. It is also indicative of the Holy Spirit who is figured as the WATER THAT WASHES.   Next layer down is the Topaz.  Topaz is a crysolite stone but in that it is that name means is has specific qualities and as in all these foundations we want to look at the classical presentation. Now while topaz can present in colors from wine to yellow red blue and pale to clear the precious Topaz is orange.  The image is unmistakable.  Whereas the previous Beryl indicated the Holy Spirit as WATER to renew the mind this stone represents the Holy Spirit as the Flame of YAH.  This is the aspect of the cleansing fire of the Holy Spirit to remove the words of Belial from the soul and to purify the soul and burn out the cares of the world which choke out the WORD.  The next level of foundation is the Chrysoprase which comes in a layered bluish green with nickel in it.  It is both the colors of life and water and may well represent human life which is born in “waters”.  It also tells us that God is in the midst.  The next to last layer down is the Jacinth stone.  It is red to bluish to purple and it is transparent.  Most of the rest of these stones are not particularly transparent but this one is.  It may well represent the human soul as it were.  It shows us as Redeemed in the Blood of Jesus, washed in the Water of the Holy Spirit and Made Royal in priesthood unto God.  The bottom layer is Amethyst. It only ever comes in one color, Purple.  Purple is the royal sovereignty of Jesus in His Humanity as King and in His Divinity as God.  Because before all things were… He is.

Rev 21:21  And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the several gates was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

Hence we find Aspects of God as Father Son and Holy Spirit in the Apostolic foundations of the city, but what of its gates? In Nehemiah where Jerusalem’s walls were broken down and the GATES destroyed by fire, which was important as Gates determined what came in and what went out.  They were also the place where civil matters and politics were conducted and where the prophets preached.  We have seen the meaning of the various stones as far as I was able to determine them, and I will admit there are greater scholars than myself who could add volumes.  The City walls are one thing but all the gates are alike.  All the gates are pearls.  Pearls are interesting things. They are NOT made of the Earth and they are not mineral unless you want to count the rock that is in the center. Pearls are organic and occur when a little sand (the rock in the middle) enters and lodges in an oyster and does not come out in the water.  SO the oyster thus irritated begins to secrete a substance to coat the irritant and over time it goes from a tiny sand grain to this nice size orb which depending on many factors can become quite priceless.  Because these orbs possess a toughness to them where in they can be drilled and strung, or merely set in metallic settings, they are considered jewelry as are their neighbors the gemstones.  Israel is considered of God to be His possession as I have mentioned before and thus maybe even considered to be like a string of pearls to God.  They came from a promise to one man to sire a lineage that would become a Nation among the nations of the planet and a people most often an irritant to God.  Consider what God did to these people to cause them to be what they were when His Son came among them.  He had established a means of appropriate expression of worship to Himself, and LAW to govern them according to His dictates but from them He “suffered much”.  He allowed them to have kings which led the people quite often contrary to the LAW He gave them and away from His heart.  Surely like the stone this one race chosen to be God’s own possession has had much glossing over with LAW and Judgment until they were ready to receive the Son whose work on them was the greatest of all.  For who but God would have cared enough to permit Himself to be crucified and then raise up to prove His identity to a people who wanted the death of not only The Son but any who had associated with The Son and even today those of Judaism who “convert” are persecuted relentlessly.  In this light I see the tribes themselves like so many irritants that the coatings of Law and Redemption makes beautified in Salvation.  Each pearl has a name on it, and one has to wonder of the anmes themselves and what they might say about The LAMB.

I will admit to a little cheating here and went online for the meanings of the names to http://www.pray4zion.org/SignificanceoftheTwelveTribesofIsrael.html

This is in brief their listing of name and meaning.

Reuben – seeing (Strongs lists this as See you a son.  This is a compound name.)

Simeon – hearing (Strongs concurs this is the correct meaning)

Levi – joined (Strongs concurs choosing the word, attached)

Judah – praise   (Strongs uses the more proper word, celebrated. Hence the proper understanding may be “Praised”)

Dan – God is judge (Strongs tells us the word is merely “Judge”)

Naphtali – wrestling (The “i” ending makes it personal, so Strongs lists the word as my wrestling)

Gad – a troop comes (Strongs does not give a definition for the name but it is derived from a primitive root meaning to attack)

Asher – blessed (Strongs uses the word “happy”)

Issachar – wages (Strongs lists this meaning as He will bring a reward)

Zebulun – dwelling with husband (Strongs uses the word, Habitation)

Joseph – God will add a son (Strongs lists this as “Let him add”)

Benjamin – son of the right hand (Strongs concurs)

 

Mannasah (Strongs lists this as “causing to forget”)

Ephraim (Strongs lists this as “double fruit”)

 

Each one of these tribes talks about Jesus in one way or another.  In Reuben we “see the Son” or Behold the Son.  In Simeon we find God is hearing both His people and His Son and through Christ ourselves as Believers.  In Levi we see the attachment of God to His people Israel, to His Son and through His Son to the Believers today. That attachment is in the Atonement. In Judah we see that in Christ God is “celebrated” praised and worshipped.  We also see that Jesus is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, or the King of that Tribe. It is in the Triumphal Entry that we discover the scepter of Judah and out of the mouths of the young as prophesized God was CELEBRATED.  In Dan we see the final judge taking His place on the instrument of His own judgment to pay the penalty of His own judgment on the sins of His own people Israel and consequently due to the nature of the payment to all the Elect in all the other ethnic groups and locations of the world who were not Hebrew but pagan.  In Naphtali we see Gethsemane where the wrestling of Christ Himself came and He was victorious to resolve to perform the will of The Father in the PRESCRIBED METHOD laid out.  In gad we indeed see the troops that came and hauled the Christ off to His preordained place. He was attacked and assaulted repeatedly as well.  In Asher we see Christ facing the cross with Joy set before Him, knowing the outcome and the blessing He would both impart unto man and receive unto Himself upon the set day. In Issachar we see Him paying the penalty as sacrifice atonement propitiation and expiation of the sins of His people and all the Elect globally and all who come to believe down the corridors of time as well as all who were in the “bosom of Abraham” prior to the resurrection.  We also see the day spent in the tomb and in hell and the resurrection which qualifies the prior death and all its legal ramifications before God and the devil.  Without the Resurrection we have not a Savior of power and position to make null the Enemy’s power and claim and enforce the work of the Cross. In Zebulun we see Christ becoming after the resurrection and ascension the Habitation in which we are seated according to the writings of Paul where in this is revealed from God.  In Joseph we see God adding His Son in the sonship of the Believer where in it is written in Revelation I will be His God and He shall be MY SON.  For we are dead and our lives are hid in Christ.  We will be AS HE IS. In Benjamin we see the words of Jesus to the Assembly of the Priesthood, that they would see the Son as the RIGHT HAND OF THE POWER ON HIGH or of the Father.  In that these are represented in the Pearl is because each gate speaks of Him who told us He is the Door or Gate of the Sheepfold and no man comes unto the Father save by Him AS GATEWAY.  The Pearl then also represents the Earthly Kingdom’s entrance into the Heavenly realm…  selah.

Rev 21:22  And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof.

Rev 21:23  And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb.

Rev 21:24  And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.

Rev 21:25  And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there):

Rev 21:26  and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it:

Rev 21:27  and there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but only they that are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Finally we see that there is no Temple yet God is in the midst as THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.  He is the source of illumining which causes the sun and moon to pale to nonexistence so far as the city is concerned.  Notice it doesn’t say there is no sun or moon just that they are NOT NEEDED there.  Now the reason I put forth that this city is the TEMPLE is because He dwells in a temple NOT MADE WITH HUMAN HANDS.  He has lived in us His creation by His Spirit but now, here, we see He has built Himself a house.  The nations are both governed and provided for by the will of the LAMB in His city, And although the tribute will pour in, no thing or person or creature that is deemed unworthy to enter shall enter the city.  Worth is defined as being of that which is WRITTEN IN THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE.

Judgment Day

Tags

book, judge, LAMB, law, throne, virtue, white, yom kippur

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.

In Jewish tradition, at Yom Kippur they tend to say “may your name be written in the Book of Life”; we know this to be the LAMB’s Book of Life. But there are other books opened.  In the next verse we find that somehow every person who is now produced to stand before this Great White Throne is being judged according to “THEIR WORKS” and in the fifteenth verse the deciding factor of their judgment was whether or not they were found in the “book of life”.  In some Jewish tradition they talk about the book of deeds.  It is said that on Yom Kippur each year that the books are opened and it is decided who lives and who dies and who prospers and who does not. The other Book by virtue of a need for a Standard of Law would be the book of the Law.  By these two books perhaps does a soul get judged, and is weighed and found wanting for as James will tell us, if in any point of the Law we fail to live up to it and comply with it then we are guilty of the whole law. (Jas 2:10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all. )  Here are a few more facts that argue for the Book of the Law being used to compare to the Book that may well record all the deeds of men.

Rom 2:12  For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;

Now look at this; this one statement covers the Jew who is NOT IN CHRIST and the Gentile as well.  The Law of Moses judges the Jew and the Deeds of the Gentile either stack up to Christ or … they are found … wanting.

Rom 3:20  because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin.

Justification is the key for without being able to be justified before God as Judge Eternal there is no entrance into The Kingdom and realize this that there are no Christians here….at least there are none whose names were recorded in the Lamb’s book of life.  In Justification you are made Not Guilty, which puts you in “right standing” before God and grants you access into the Kingdom.  But since by the Law or Deeds no one can be “justified” these have no chance.  You see dear reader there is no deed, no action or sacrifice or ceremonial thing that will replace being recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life which means saved by grace through faith and that not of yourselves.  This Justification is Salvation and that as a free gift. Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Just as in the other judgment previously the wages of their being in Christ were paid, now here for these the wage is being paid.

One more book is actually recorded in Scripture.  A book of Remembrance.

Mal 3:16 Then they that feared Jehovah spake one with another; and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name.

This was in connection with a rebuke of Malachi the Prophet against the Israelites. Now the actual book may still be used or was only used on this occasion. However what this does tell us is that God listens in on and considers every word of our mouths.  Jesus confirms the thought of God listening on and weighing out our conversations.

Mat 12:32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come.
Mat 12:33 Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by its fruit.
Mat 12:34 Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Mat 12:35 The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Mat 12:36 And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Mat 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Now some folks say they will have some explaining to do before God when they get there but the reality is that the explanations and adjustments were to come in our lives in flesh un-glorified here on Earth BEFORE death.  It appears that Eternity is a fixed aspect.  There will be no explaining or reasoning with the MIND of God.

So then its not just what we did or didn’t do with Jesus but also what we said.

The Plagues Commence

Tags

blood, frogs, God, heaven, LAMB, lice, locusts, pestilence, Temple, wrath

Rev 15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God.

Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that come off victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God.

Go back to the first time you see this sea of glass.  Rev 4:6  and before the throne, as it were a sea of glass like a crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. This is the floor of the “Throne Room” so… this is Heaven.  But now we have fire.  We have these who “came off victorious” from the “beast” AND from “his image”  and these have harps.  But let’s look at this fire for a moment.  The Greek indicates that it is literally or figuratively Fire or more specifically, LIGHTENING!  This sounds like energy, power or perhaps a manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the midst of these “victorious” ones?  This makes sense when we consider why they are Victorious.  The Beast and His Image refers to the Beast from the Sea, who is bent on the destruction of the “righteous”.  The image is what the second beast erected and did everything to get everyone to WORSHIP THE FIRST BEAST!  I am reminded of Nebuchadnezzar and his massive golden image and the result of the three Hebrews who would not kneel.  Given the result of the story would you say they “came off victorious” from that situation?  This is the same for how did these get that victory?  Rev 12:11  And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death.

These are MARTYRS!  Yet and even now there is no catching away as of yet and now the last Trump has sounded.  But in 14 we did have the reaping of the Earth.  I am reminded of the parable of the wheat and the tares.  The owner of the farmed plot when asked by his servants if they should root up the tares told them to let it be, and that when all was ripe; instruction would be given the REAPERS as to the fact that there was tare in the field and to reap each separately, the tares to the fire and the wheat to the barn.  But it is obvious from the text that these are martyrs.

Rev 15:3  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages.

Rev 15:4  Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all the nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy righteous acts have been made manifest.

Here again is another New Song…  With each group there is a different song. A study to look into which songs each group sings might be fruitful.

It is interesting to note that God does use word play to “clue” the knowledgable reader into His works.  In Deuteronomy 33, Moses is given a song to teach to Israel.  This song is a witness against the nation who would in years to come follow after other gods.  This song like the book we are talking about, is a Suzerain Treaty in format. In it there are actually two names mentioned.  One is Moses and the other is Hoshea, son of Nun.  Now this man will layer turn out to be none other than Joshua, son of Nun.  Now both the names Hoshea and Joshua have a very significant meaning.  Of the names of Jesus we find an etymology.  One of the variants to this is Yaweh Hoshea, another is Yashua or Joshua.  Yeshua is a variant with Greek Iosus from which we finally have the English of Jesus.  Now it is in the Yaweh Hoshea that we really find a meaning. For the meaning of The Lamb’s name is ” Yaweh or Jehovah Saves”.  So then when the verse in Revelation 15 we read the words ” Song of Moses and of The Lamb” we needs to understand that Joshua who will lead the people into the Promise Land is a type of Jesus who leads us into the Eternal Promise of Life… Eternal Life by the Holy Spirit. Hence quite literally we have the actual song!

Rev 15:5  And after these things I saw, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:

Rev 15:6  and there came out from the temple the seven angels that had the seven plagues, arrayed with precious stone, pure and bright, and girt about their breasts with golden girdles.

Now the above verse needs a little explaining.  The words ” precious stone” is translated in older texts as “in linen”.  Now when you consider that if indeed this linen with gold ties or girdling or sashes then the knowledgable will immediately see the priestly attire of angels.  Lest we forget that angels are His ministers too. If then these with containers of plague, are playing a priestly role on the heels of the song of indictment sung by the martyrs, there is only one ceremony that uses white linen.  Once per year a high priest dons white linen and enters into The Presence, with Blood and incense. This is Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement.  Now in this ceremony, an annual covering is provided for sin iniquity defilement et al. But in Jesus, we have permanent covering as it were.  This would be considered a blood ritual.  What we have now is seven angels functioning in a priestly role. This is also a blood ritual.  But this is not a positive thing.  Because the song is testifying against the false church. So now we find the response.  In the Yom Kippur ceremony the priest is all in white.  These angels are sporting gold at the middriff. Gold here might represent The Glory of God.

Rev 15:7  And one of the four living creatures gave unto the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and none was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be finished.

In chapter fourteen the grapes were reaped from the vineyard which we established to be the church.  We have seen in scripture that the “fruit of the vine” is also indicative of the Israel.  In a sense we are the continuation of that nation, spiritually.   Yet these grapes are trod out alone and fill seven cups or containers to be poured out. I had surmised that this was the apostate church.  Yet there is this in Isaiah.

“Isa 5:1  Let me sing for my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

Isa 5:2  and he digged it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

Isa 5:3  And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

Isa 5:4  What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

Isa 5:5  And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

Isa 5:6  and I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor hoed; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

Isa 5:7  For the vineyard of Jehovah of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but, behold, oppression; for righteousness, but, behold, a cry. ”

Now the text does clearly mark the vineyard of this passage as Israel. But we also have Him saying this to us…

“Joh 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit.

Joh 15:3  Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you.

Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me.

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing.

Joh 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Joh 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Joh 15:8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and so shall ye be my disciples.”

Now this is admittedly written to Jewish Disciples who in turn form the proto-church.  Lest we forget that what we see today started out as a Jewish community of believers in Jesus and His Disciples.  Yet if we are to understand the pastoral prayer of John chapter seventeen, it tells us that the intercession is not only for His Disciples of the day but for those who would believe because of their word, or Gospel message, and those are us today.  Now Paul picks up this thread in extension in Galatians chapter five with the fruit of the Spirit.

“Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Gal 5:23  meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24  And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.”  What does Jesus say? “ Joh 15:8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and so shall ye be my disciples.”  That we bear much fruit.  The fruit of the VINE.  But just as in the Vineyard of Isaiah’s day there were “wild grapes” that had a bad taste so then there are those whose fruit is that of the Deeds of the Flesh.  A careful read of Paul’s letter to Corinth will tell of a church riddled with problems and deeds of the flesh.  If in that time there were so many problems of morality and ethic and the Apostles were in force in that day, how shall we today be surprised to find pockets of problematic believers in the midst.  Jesus Paul and even Jude spoke of those who would arise after their passing (Jude gives the description of such men) whose sole purpose was to lead astray.  Consider then the grape that is trod out as being that which is not indicative of the Fruit of the Spirit but rather false.  Consider also all these little celebrations and the SONGS being sung.  All that blood is spilled on the ground by those who serve the first beast.  This is what is in those containers.  This is not the Wrath of the Father but of THE LAMB.  You see the LAMB hung and took the wrath and curse of the Father, so that we might have fellowship with the Godhead, as we had once had in the beginning before Adam fell. (Only better)  But this is the wrath now poured out on those who REFUSE TO BELIEVE in the Jesus.  Interestingly enough we do have a list of plagues from Exodus.  Blood, Frogs, Lice, Flies or Gnats, Pestilence, Boils, Hail, Locusts, Darkness, Death of the First born.  Of these it is listed in the next several passages in Chapter sixteen which plagues are contained in the angelic containers.

Now in consideration of pure speculation here.  John sees the Temple and the skies were rolled up like a scroll or boiling clouds way back in the beginning when the seals were being opened. Is it possible that the people of the Earth are now seeing the Temple?  Remember that as far as Earth’s perspective is  it is dark the sun moon and stars are “not giving forth their light” meaning “Not visible” so there is for all parts and practical purposes a pall of cover over the Earth.  However what John sees Prophets in the Old Testament and men in the days of Solomon and Moses saw as well.  The glory of the Lord and the smoke of His presence or rather the Column of Smoke indicative of the very personal visible presence of God (YHVH) or the LAMB is filling the Temple and the doors are shut.  Noone is permitted entrance until the out pouring is complete.

Now there is only one other time when we ever see the Temple doors shut.  It is the Temple in Jerusalem and the time is Yom Kippur.  It is the DAY OF ATONEMENT when the Temple is shut while the High priest enters into the Holy of Holies, to MAKE ATONEMENT for the priesthood and the people.

This is the DAY OF RECKONING wherein recompensure is meted out to each as his deed warrant.  There is no sacrifice being offered for this, no atonement being made for this, but there is the built up iniquity and sin that must now be dealt with.  God measures out to all Creation the finality of judgment and punishment for all that has been done on the Earth and for all the unbelief therein.  Thus we do not get to see God’s reaction.  Also it occurs to include this characteristic of The Father. Hab 1:13  Thou that art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that canst not look on perverseness, wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy peace when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he;

Hab 1:14  and makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

Now in that this is the LAMB’s wrath or so it would seem this could be the Father turning away while the wrath is being poured out.  Just as He turned away when He dealt with our sin in His Son on the Cross.

One last observation here:Rev 15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God.

Please note the end of the sentence.  …”for in them is FINISHED the wrath of God.”  God’s wrath has been poured out many times over all of history.  Israel was delivered in the WRATH of God on Egypt.  Israel was AFFLICTED by the very same wrath when she sinned.  Jesus took the wrath and curse of The Father for the sin and iniquity, et al, of The Elect of God, now it is being recompensed out on those who have rebelled or sided with the Rebel.  This is most likely that of which we have been told we would be spared.  It is most likely precisely this that Rapture Doctrine was conceived to explain.  So far I am not seeing a clear cut Rapture but a lot of Martyrdom.

The Rise of the Beasts.

Tags

Alexander, beast, breath, buy. sell, daniel, devil, dragon, image, Jesus, LAMB, mark

Rev 13:1  And he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns, and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.

In Rev 12:7-9 we see this: Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels;

Rev 12:8  And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.

We have heard the declaration about salvation. There might also be a declaration of how he is overcome but listen to this last: Rev 12:12  Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.

Woe for or to the Earth and Sea…  this is a very ticked off Dragon/Devil/Serpent of Old/antichrist. This is not a benevolent dictator although he/she/it will most certainly play the part with consummate perfection.  For it is true that if you want votes you not only have to make promises you fulfill but you also have to win the hearts of the masses over.  As to the head wound, looks like some lucky angel maybe even Michael himself got in a good punch. This is a switchout of sorts.  This is the Dragon fallen and the Beast rising. This is the connection. Rev 13:4  and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?  In this translation of the ASV the right word is used: authority.  The Greek word is exousia which means delegated power or authority.  Delegated….  The Dragon is spiritual but the Beast is physical.  Now watch this.  Just as the Holy Spirit indwelt Jesus so does the Dragon indwell the Beast.  This authority is the power and permission to use the power as delegated and commissioned by the indwelling one, and that’s all there is to it.

Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority.

Now we have seen these animals before in Daniel.  In fact Daniel has seen this beast … sort of.  In the order they appear in this beast let’s look at Daniel’s understanding of these animals. The Leopard.   7:6  After this I beheld, and, lo, another, like a leopard which had upon its back four wings of a bird; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. This is the four headed leopard of the division of Alexander the Great’s land holdings or conquered nations as he died without declaring his successor. The body of our beast is that of the leopard representing the Grecian influence colored by possibly the Persian empire.  Wikipedia tells us that: “The species’ success in the wild is in part due to its opportunistic hunting behavior, its adaptability to habitats, its ability to run at speeds approaching 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph), its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a heavy carcass, and its notorious ability for stealth. The leopard consumes virtually any animal that it can hunt down and catch… Leopards are agile and stealthy predators”  It’s a fast opportunistic hunter that isn’t picky about its diet.  It is a carnivore a predator a hunter and agile or cunning and stealthy or secretive.  Do you get the picture here?  This is how it looks, it blends, it consumes, it is a hunter,  it’s like a roaring lion seeking something to devour.  The Bear.   Dan 7:5  And, behold, another beast, a second, like to a bear; and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

This is Persia.  The Persian law was unrelenting and its princes could be quite cruel.  Persian Kings could “do as they pleased” and the Princes were quite possibly elected for life.  There was also a lot of political maneuvering in these courts.  The father of Xerxes, Cambyses was quite the despot. So we see the despotic rule of the bear; in its goings about and, because we are talking animals with paws, then also in its doings.  This is how the government was, Despotic, harsh, absolute and possibly capricious in nature. The bear is known for force and strength and some agility.  Bears are said to have tremendous physical presence and charisma which would be important as the beast goes about setting up government.

The Lion.  Perhaps the most important feature of the Beast is the mouth of the Lion.  In Scripture almost always the Lion is the symbol of Messianic Rule. But in Daniel we find the lion as well. Dan 7:4  The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon two feet as a man; and a man’s heart was given to it. This would be the ensign of Babylon, but the plucking of the wings means conquering. The lifting up and giving of the heart of a man and being made to stand like a man, actually, reduces the Lion.  But in a rather twisted manner it could be construed almost as Messianic in its own right.  Too bad this was representative of Nebuchadnezzar. He lost his kingdom to God for a period of time and gained the perspective of the fear of the LORD and thus do we see the change from mere animal to thinking man, God fearing and thinking man.

However as I have previously said the Lion figures in Messianic understanding almost exclusively. It is said of the One who opens the seals on the scroll… Rev 5:5  and one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book and the seven seals thereof.  The reference to the Root of David would be also of Jesse his father for a “Root” can be a son or descendant. Isa 11:10  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse, that standeth for an ensign of the peoples, unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting-place shall be glorious.

The “Root” here is Jesus.  David never stood as an ensign for the peoples.  However Solomon was one whom  the nations sought but it is Jesus whom the Nations seek whose resting place is all glorious.  Both the terms Lion and LAMB are used in Revelation. Rev 5:6  And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.  In the previous verse He had been described as the Lion of Judah.  Hence the speech or the rhetoric will sound Messianic. In fact He will pass Himself off as Messiah, in so far as it concerns the believers. This is what the mouth is saying, this is the message of the Beast.  “I am come to set up my Kingdom, come join me.” In fact this BEAST will pass himself as the “salvation and way to heaven” for all the religions of man. However our concern is that amongst these he will be passing himself off as Our Christ.  Here is that statement of “if it is possible he would deceive the Very Elect”(Matt 24:24, Mk13:22) But for all this there is a wound.

Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast;

Could this be the work of the atonement? (“and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Gen 3:15) Could this the felling stroke of Michael the Archangel?  In the Hebrew we come up with an interesting tie into the Genesis verse.  It comes in the form of the word for bruise. Strongs Hebrew # 7779  shûph  A primitive root; properly to gape, that is, snap at; figuratively to overwhelm: – break, bruise, cover. Now this could be an appearance of a death stroke healed.  And the WHOLE EARTH… wonders or is in admiration of the fact that the “wound” healed.

Rev 13:4  and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?

Herein is a blasphemy.  For it is supposed to be said of the LAMB…  Mal_3:2  But who can abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap:

Rev 6:16  and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

Rev 6:17  for the great day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand?

There is One who is able to stand and to war with the Beast.  That One is the LAMB.

Rev 13:5  and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months.

42 months or 1260 days… If you divide 1260 by 30 you get 42.  Please understand though that this is a 30/31 day scenario so it’s roughly 42 months. If you divide 42 by 12 you get 3.5 hence the concept is proven by math to be roughly three and one half years.  So then it is quite possible that the witnesses are there the leader of the “bugs” is the one who kills them meanwhile the Beast is hunting down the remnant of “her seed” the saints. Meanwhile “she” is in the “place prepared” being “nourished”.  Because we see these images in this grouping we understand that all this is happening during this portion of time.  All during this time our beast is speaking great blasphemies.  Now at some point a great bible search would be to find bible wide all the scriptures that have “time, times and half a time” in them and see what they say.  In the Diasporas it was not three and half years it was seventy, for the land to rest fallow for the Shabbats it lost. Then there is the   Seventy  years of prophecy.  Sixty two are accomplished which includes the time of Jesus Christ. There is one last seven weeks or years, for in the numbers God uses seven is the number, supposedly, of perfection.  Most all this you will find in Daniel.  You will also find a seven year treaty of peace with Israel and all the surrounding land… a treaty that is broken in middle of the years.  Now the exact ramification may be spelled out or they may be implied and this may be where eschatologists begin to fancy themselves as knowledgeable.  For the purposes of this however, if it not spelled out then we don’t want to make unsound predictions. (Dan 9:24-27 see Timing link)

Rev 13:6  And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven.

Now this is the way the blasphemy is being done.  The Name, The Tabernacle, and the “Citizens” One has to realize what is meant by Blaspheme.  To blaspheme in the Greek is to defame or to slander the character or person or name of someone or rather to also take the fame and denigrate the Name of God and His Tabernacle and His “people” by making himself out to be the “real deal”.

Rev 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.

In fact this is purportedly the proof that the “evil righteous” are not supported by God.  But remember they actually OVERCOME him.  “Rev 12:11  And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death.”  So his overcoming is to eliminate them but their overcoming is to be forever out of his reach. After all are we to fear him who can end our physical life or Him who do that and consign us to hell?(Matt 10:28) You see the flesh has this notion of physical prosperity and or being physically in a place of peace and safety.  This type of life has been proven to make one become cold and aloof and distant from God and thus it is in the fire of persecution with an understanding that it is not our physical lives that matter but the estate of the spirit and the Holy Spirit’s freedom within us to live act and be, that matters to God the most.  That is “setting the eye on things spiritual”.

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.

Everyone whose name is NOT WRITTEN in the book of life of the LAMB, meaning those who are not born again, those who are not filled with the Holy Spirit, to whom the Blood of the LAMB has not been applied and of whom it is safe to say, they are NOT ELECT. Seeing as they serve Satan in serving only themselves no matter how philanthropic or noble or heroic, at the end of the day they are self serving or self deceived.  Either way they are serving the Adversary and will fall in line with the Beast because their flesh calls them to it.  You see either we serve the Holy Spirit by the crucifixion of the flesh with its passions and lusts(Gal 5:24) or we are slaves to it. We are remanded not to live according to the flesh but by the Holy Spirit. So then is it any wonder that those not in the Lamb’s book are worshipping the Beast?

The next verse is an alert to these two.  This Beast is given permission to make war with the saints in an attempt to deceive and overcome them. If you are destined to be caught or killed you will be caught or killed.

Rev 13:9  If any man hath an ear, let him hear.

Rev 13:10  If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The patience of the saints is in that they are purified through the tribulations of these trying times. You see patience has a perfect work of maturation so that the saint is perfect, complete, entire and lacking nothing.(Jas 1:4) However as if this first beast rising as the Dragon falls is not bad enough there is a second and this one is much scarier.  You be the judge, is this the apostate church?

Rev 13:11  And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Two horns like a Lamb or a RAM.  The Ram was the dedicatory function of the lamb.  Whereas a young LAMB would be offered for sacrifices like Passover, the Ram was used as a dedicatory for the priesthood.  Moses’ brother Aaron and his sons used the blood of the ram as the dedicatory animal (dedication to service) on the day when the Tabernacle first opened.  Horn denote power might ability militarily or magically or spiritually.  This is spiritual. So the appearance mimics the LAMB but the mouth doesn’t match the WORD.  No indeed its “dragon speak”, and what does the Dragon speak? “Rev 13:5  and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies;…” , blasphemies.  But while the Beast from the sea gets his power from the Dragon, and everyone knows it; this Beast from the Earth exercises all kinds of authority in the sight of the Beast from the sea.  What is going on here?!

Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed.

Rev 13:13  And he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men.

Rev 13:14  And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who hath the stroke of the sword and lived.

To exercise all the authority of the first beast in the sight of the beast, smacks of the works of the Believers in the “sight or presence” of the Lord. One gets this authority or empowerment from the “presence” of the Lord and miracles happen but it is the LORD not the Dragon.  Unfortunately mankind is going more and more to the wrong source to be empowered to go beyond themselves so when this day comes it will be no surprise. The calling down of fire from heaven may be like the days of Elijah of old who called down fire from heaven or it may be manmade “fire” from the “heavens” it is debatable which the writer is intending here but there is a point; “as in the days of Elijah” will take on a whole new meaning.  These action and the certain subsequent “teaching and or preaching” of the Second Beast causes all those who are susceptible to the effects of these miracles and wonders to perceive the first Beast as GOD, so they worship.  Then the second beast tells the humanity to make an image of the first beast.  Is it a statue or a computer generated thing? How it’s done is unclear but that it’s done harkens back to Nebuchadnezzar and his great statue.  Will they be animating something here?  Somehow it appears to be animated. it is the people that he gets to build the “image”.  He does this by deception.  Deception, we are warned that if we get involved in this “beast” we could be “deceived” (if it is possible… where is discernment?)  But how is this beast so successful. The first beast is given permission to persecute the Saints (Christians) and the second gets permission from the first and yet is able to deceive?

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him;
2Th 2:2 to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand;
2Th 2:3 let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
2Th 2:4 he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming;
2Th 2:9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

What you need to understand is the Personage that is sending this delusion…  that is not restraining the error.  That Personage is God Himself.  This is how the second Beast manages to be so successful.  The mind of the masses is receptive and willing to believe, because God has made it so.

Rev 13:15  And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image to the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Here’s the thing EVERYONE KNOWS it’s an image … right?  Is breathing into it some form of enchantment or technology?  I have no answer as of yet myself. In that everyone is worshiping the Beast himself why wouldn’t they also worship an image of him?

Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead;

Rev 13:17  and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.

Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.

For the longest time I have supposed that the beast who rises from the sea was the one behind the economy of the mark.  Turns out I was wrong.  Everything above me is about the beast who rises from the earth.  The one with horns or power or is of two halves, but looks like the LAMB and speaks like the DRAGON.  Horns of a ram, we find them in Daniel and ram that is raging to the right and the left with none to withstand it until the goat enters.  The ram in that image is the medo-persian empire.  So then horns, denotes split power or governing.  If indeed this horned Lamb represents a fallen apostate church then it represents a fallen apostate Jew and Gentile union.  You see, the Jew and Gentile in Christendom are united in Christ, but here they are united under the beast from the sea.

In all this display what we need to realize is that the issue here is SOURCE. What is the SOURCE of the power?  TO who are the masses going for power? Certainly not the LAMB.  Also you see a lot of chicanery and trickery but perhaps nothing truly genuine. So then the Dragon or Satan who is more powerful than a mere human is has begun to the stand out and make his stance against Jesus Christ by slowly displaying himself AS CHRIST.  Is there any reason why the LAMB should not be truly furious and His wrath not be massive?

In Between

Tags

covenant, God, Jesus, LAMB, manchild, saints, spirit, woman

It needs to be understood that this book is written to the churches with a mandate to those who would copy it and pass on the original to the next church.  It was not to be edited in that it was never to be added to or detracted from.  This is the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Just as Christ took the wrath and curse of the Father now the world will receive the wrath and curse of the LAMB.

Wrath and curse is the result of Covenant breaking on one end or the other.  Since God, who is able and doesn’t go back on His word, is self-sworn to abide by the Covenant He set in Gen 3:15; and we are the weak, needy, and limited Creation with a tendency towards iniquity and are forgetful and ungrateful as a result and unmindful as well tend to be the ones breaking the “rules of the Covenant” and thus the Covenant itself then it follows that unto the Covenant Breaker goes the wrath of God and that is the indignation of having the “contractual agreement” “breached” for the believer it is more the displeasure of an angry Parent (Father) but don’t be fooled correction can be just as devastating as out and out enmity.  Curse is the result of wrath in that God places His hand against the Covenant Breaker and turns His face away, removing or simply never setting up any “hedge of protection”. Blessing is the result of abiding or living within the bounds of obedience to the Covenant (thus keeping it) and God’s delight and pleasure are found there.  In the Old Testament Israel the People of God had agreed to this incredible Covenant on Sinai and, because this is how God sees Creation, in potentiality every circumcised male thereafter.  So if one Hebrew male blew it or if the People of that time failed then the failure cycled forward three to four generations and presumable another opportunity to “obey was given”; however because failure was constant with Israel even after the written conveyance of such displays as Egypt and the Exodus, the “ire” of “displeasure” just compounded on itself and God being who He is “hit the roof”.  Enter the Son who now comes to become the sacrifice willingly taking the wrath and curse of the Father throughout the whole of His life whose One Righteous Act so pleased the Father that having vented on the Son He has ended His hostility to those whom He has Elected to be His from the beginning.   But there is still those who are outside of Election and who are considered Covenant Breakers and while God the Father will chastise and correct the Believer; it is the “children of pride, disobedience and wrath (unbelievers whom the Spirit seems to not be working in regeneration on) that are the subject of this spectacular display of The Son’s furious anger or wrath.  The Key is the Holy Spirit.  He is the One Sent by Father and Son to “do the work of sanctification” on Believers and to “judge the world” with the Gospel. Jn 3:19  And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.  Now is the strictest sense of the verse the Light refers to Jesus Himself who will shine brightest in the darkness of the Calvary’s Cross. But the Gospel message is in a way its own light as well, But we also have to consider another group beyond the believer and the non believer and that is those who apparently once believed but have “left the faith” and are considered to be Apostate. Not of the faith. It has been said the verses of Hebrews 6:4-6 maybe the impossible condition for the bonds of salvation are unbreakable and that is the Calvinistic position.  In that it is mentioned at all begs certain questions I am unwilling to discuss here.  For as long as the Spirit of God will strive within you to continue the work of Grace then you continue on in the faith.  Jude wrote a whole book on the subject.  It is an interesting read and you will find it right before the Book of the Revelation of Jesus, God’s Christ.  It is against the Dragon and the two Beasts and all who side with them whom the LAMB aims His wrath.  For you see it is the work of the Holy Spirit that prepares the heart to receive the Gospel and after regeneration and redemption does the work of sanctification so to spurn the Gospel or to neglect so “great a gift” is to actually spurn or neglect the Holy Spirit.  It may actually be construed if continually done as an act of blasphemy.  One could blaspheme the Father and even the Son and it might be forgiven but the Holy Spirit?

Mat 12:31  Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
Mat 12:32  And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come.

That sounds rather final to me.  Let’s be clear on this that the Dragon and the Beasts are blaspheming the entire Godhead. They are the principle targets but all those who are their property by virtue of not being saved or by choice having sided with them are taken down with them.

Before we go on I want to have us take one final look at the Woman and the Manchild.

many theorize this woman to be Israel the Nation or Mary the mother of Jesus.  But the word is gune or woman or wife.  Interestingly we see the same word later in Revelation 19 and it refers to a wife who has made herself ready and the rejoicing unto the marriage of the LAMB.

In Gen 3:15 a promise is made to a woman.  This woman is not named…. she will become Eve.  God is addressing the serpent when He says He will put enmity between “your seed” (serpent) and the “seed of the woman” and the word here is a generic terminology ishshah nashiym.  Ishshah is the femine form of Ish or man or husband. Nashiym is possibly the femine form of enosh… pretty much meaning a mortal.  So then a natural flesh and blood woman.  But this word ishshah canalso be translated as “wife.”

Add to this a principle:

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body; there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  So also it has been written, “The” first “man”, Adam, “became a living soul;” the last Adam a life-giving Spirit. Gen. 2:7
1Co 15:46  But not the spiritual first, but the natural; afterward the spiritual.

Not the spiritual first….  so first the natural Adam the living soul and then the spiritual Adam the life-giving Spirit.  So then follows the Natural Israel the physical nation and natural witness, under Law.  Then the Spiritual Israel and spiritual witness, under Grace.

So then too the Natural or Visible Body of the Holy Elect of the Called Out Ones. Then the Spiritual Invisible Body of the Holy Elect of the Called Out Ones…  the first is an unglorified immature “standard” in the Earth. The Second is a glorified mature standard in the Heavens.  The first might be said to represent the God-Man as man on Earth humbled and obedient yet empowered to overcome sin self satan and the world system.  The second might be said to represent the glorified risen unbound God-Man as King/God in the Heavens.

The key is in the identity of the manchild.  But for a certainty this is spiritual thing.

Remember the last trump promise…

1Co 15:51  Behold, I speak a mystery to you: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed.
1Co 15:52  In a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet; for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed.
1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
….  Isa 11:1  And a Shoot goes out from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch will bear fruit out of his roots. Isa 11:4  But He shall judge the poor in righteousness, and shall decide rightly for the meek of the earth. And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and He shall cause the wicked to die with the breath of His lip.

 

Branch

Isa_4:2  In that day shall the branch of Jehovah be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.
Jer_23:5  Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
Jer_33:15  In those days, and at that time, will I cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.Zec_3:8  Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men that are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.Zec_6:12  and speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build the temple of Jehovah;

All three of these references are about Jesus.  The Zechariah “branch” continues to speak about rule as priest on a throne.  There was never a high priest to build a temple who then ruled as a king from his “seat”.  So then…. This speaks to the King/Priest modality of rule.  But then Jesus turns a table here….

Joh 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit.
Joh 15:3  Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you.
Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Joh 15:8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and so shall ye be my disciples.

The Righteous Branch who builds the Temple.  Is now calling Himself a Vine….  and refers to us as Branches… But the word in the Old Testament for Branch (tsemach) also means sprout or bud.  Now think carefully…. before a vine is mature is it not a “sprout or branch”?  This set of Old Testament prophecies refers to the role God is playing while in flesh as Messiah/Savior/Highpriest,  In this role He makes atonement for those who will come after Him.  But in the fullness of time once He has established the atonement and “seen His posterity”, so to speak, He has grown to the full…. VINE.  Now He makes US the Holy Elect to be the sprouts and buds that will grow in Him as Source. We then “bear fruit”

The fruit is a really interesting word.  Strongs Greek 2590

karpos Probably from the base of Strongs Greek 726; fruit (as plucked), literally or figuratively: – fruit.

Greek 726 is harpazo….  the fruit that is caught up away…. or a “manchild”

Rev 12:5  And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne.
Isa 11:4  But He shall judge the poor in righteousness, and shall decide rightly for the meek of the earth. And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and He shall cause the wicked to die with the breath of His lip.

Is this the same thing?  You decide.  So then this is “The Body with Christ as Head” Its spiritual and the sign is a representation of a spiritual state.

Apparently I am not the only one who thinks this way.  The Reformed Churches, according to wikipedia, also believe the manchild to be the faithful and cite that the promise to rule the nations with a rod of Iron is given to those who overcome the scenario of the church of Thyatira.

Thyatira had a problem.  She had a prophetess in the midst who was causing the menfolk to … sin.

Rev 2:18  And to the angel of the assembly in Thyatira, write: These things says the Son of God, the One having His eyes as a flame of fire, and His feet like burnished brass:
Rev 2:19  I know your works, and the love, and the ministry, and the faith, and your patience, and your works; and the last being more than the first.
Rev 2:20  But I have a few things against you, that you allow the woman Jezebel to teach, she saying herself to be a prophetess, and to cause My slaves to go astray, and to commit fornication, and to eat idol sacrifices.
Rev 2:21  And I gave time to her that she might repent of her fornication. And she did not repent.
Rev 2:22  Behold, I am throwing her into a bed, and into great affliction those committing adultery with her, unless they repent of their works.
Rev 2:23  And I will kill her children with death; and all the assemblies will know that I am the One searching the inner parts and hearts. And I will give to each of you according to your works.
Rev 2:24  But I say to you and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this teaching, and who did not know the deep things of Satan, as they say: I am not casting another burden on you;
Rev 2:25  but what you have, hold until I shall come.
Rev 2:26  And the one overcoming, and the one keeping My works until the end, “I will give to him authority over the nations,”
Rev 2:27  and “He will shepherd them with an iron staff” (they are “broken to pieces like clay vessels”), as I also have received from My Father. Psa. 2:8, 9
(Psa 2:8  Ask of Me, and I will give the nations as Your inheritance; and the uttermost parts of the earth as Your possession.
Psa 2:9  You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. ) { Now the Psalms verses are said of Jesus Himself, but the afore mentioned verses in Revelation is said by Jesus to the innocent “Thyatirians”…(?) applies to the over comers… notice too, the description of the keeping of His works… or perhaps Commandments…}
Rev 2:28  And I will give to him the Morning Star.Rev
2:29  The one who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

ok if we remove the controversy from this letter we have the faithful who never got involved and to them He says…Rev 2:18  And to the angel of the assembly in Thyatira, write: These things says the Son of God, the One having His eyes as a flame of fire, and His feet like burnished brass:

Rev 2:19  I know your works, and the love, and the ministry, and the faith, and your patience, and your works; and the last being more than the first. …Rev 2:24  But I say to you and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this teaching, and who did not know the deep things of Satan, as they say: I am not casting another burden on you;
Rev 2:25  but what you have, hold until I shall come.
Rev 2:26  And the one overcoming, and the one keeping My works until the end, “I will give to him authority over the nations,”
Rev 2:27  and “He will shepherd them with an iron staff” (they are “broken to pieces like clay vessels”), as I also have received from My Father. Psa. 2:8, 9
(Psa 2:8  Ask of Me, and I will give the nations as Your inheritance; and the uttermost parts of the earth as Your possession.
Psa 2:9  You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. )

{ Now this is said of Jesus but the afore mentioned said by Jesus to the innocent Thyatirians…(?) applies to the overcomers… notice too the description of the keeping of His works… or perhaps Commandments…}
Rev 2:28  And I will give to him the Morning Star.
Rev 2:29  The one who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

notice that this is the description of the manchild: Rev 12:5 b … a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: …  “I will give to him authority over the nations,”

Rev 2:27  and “He will shepherd them with an iron staff” as I also have received from My Father. Psa. 2:8, 9

Now here is another clue….

Jesus is sharing the right of rule.  In the Old Testament in Isaiah the prophet talks about princes that will rule with their king.  This is the same idea of delegated authority and power.  We will reign with Christ forever.  That’s the basic premise.  What’s being overcome here is error and whoredoms by the spirit who worked in the original Jezebel who seduced a willing King (Ahab).   Those who did not go there into the error and whoredoms overcame it all.  Those who hold onto “what they have” to the end and Keeping the Works of Christ, who identifies them as “My works”.  What are His works?  They had apparently increased over time.  Faith and Patience are two works of the LORD.  He is the giver and increaser of His faith in us, for it’s nothing of us, it’s all of Him and Patience in trials and tribulations has a “perfect work” (Jas 1:4) It is said that this Manchild then is the “faithful” saints.

Could this then indeed be a separation of the invisible from the visible Church.

Prologue

Tags

blessings, curses, Deuteronomy, LAMB, scroll, suzerain, treaty

The book itself I am told is written in the style of Suzerain Treaty and it is. Chapter one opens with the introduction of the King (Jesus) and the writer of the book (John the Apostle). But the Holy Spirit has led me to realize that this book in the unfolding of the judgments is like unto Deut 28:15-68, the portion of the blessings and curses of obedience to the Law. The portion dealing with the curses is tiered or leveled.  Each level opens with a choice to obey or disobey and then lists the consequences of disobedience. Each level or tier of judgement becomes more severe than the last. The idea is to turn back to obey and be blessed. The difference here is that it is known that there will be no repentance or turning to salvation (which is the means of obedience to the Law, now)
Believe it or not the beginning of the sorrows of this world doesn’t actually start till the sixth chapter of Revelation. After the introduction of chapter one the King addresses the issues in the churches of the day as He sees them. These comprises the next two chapters. From Four through Five we have seen the Throne room and we have seen the Lamb and we have seen a scroll with seals that only the Lamb is authorized to unroll.  With each unrolling the seals are broken.
In chapter five this is the book.  Rev 5:1  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed with seven seals. 
The word book here is biblion.
G975 biblion A diminutive of (G976 biblos Properly the inner bark of the papyrus plant, that is, (by implication) a sheet or scroll of writing: – book.) ; a roll: – bill, book, scroll, writing.

Whereas the Strongs Greek section number 976 denotes a larger roll of writing, or scroll. The former denotes a smaller one.  The larger might be the Torah Scrolls of five “books” whereas the smaller might be a dingle haftorah scroll.  It would be one book as opposed to several in one bound roll of papyrus.

Also please understand that in this era we are before the Codex in this place.  I do believe the South American Native tribes used a primitive form of codex in their writings but they are also more or less folded “scrolls” The bound book came much later.  Now a sealed scroll will have a wax seal in place.  This is done by dribbling hot wax onto the end of the paper to stick it shut to the back of the roll.  Imagine the paper towel roll unrolled and re rolled with dribbled wax at various points sticking together various portions of the roll whilst allowing it roll shut for the final “seal” and you have the roll in theory which is being opened.  This roll represents the will of God the Father and The Son.  This Roll will represent the Wrath, not of the Father but of the Son. On the Cross God the Father has spent His Wrath onto the Son.  The Son was not only the only qualified individual under the Law to receive the wrath and thus cause atonement to be made for us but also quite frankly possibly the only one capable of withstanding the process itself.

Also because we see that it is His Wrath presumably He alone would be qualified and rightfully justified as the Wrathful One    to open this “roll”.
We need to understand whose wrath we are dealing with.  It is not an event for Atonement like the Cross it is an event of Vengeance WITHOUT ATONEMENT.
Understanding this now let’s look as the roll opens.  Each sealed portion releases a person or action into either the spirit world or the corporeal world.  When all the seals are opened we see the initial phase of the process.  This is the Revelation or unveiling of Christ the King and Judge.  This is NOT the Suffering Servant.  This is the King of Glory.  Jesus when He was raised fulfilled the Suffering Servant and after coming into the Heavenly Tabernacle He fulfilled the ceremonial aspect as it were of the High Priest.  In that He has not sat for as long as Grace has been for the Elect of God in intercession He has fulfilled the role of Intercessor/ Priest, and now fills His role as Heir Apparent to His own throne and as King IN JUDGEMENT who is cleaning the house and killing off his competition so as to properly set up His Kingdom.  This is the difference we need to keep in mind.